The quirks of Indian English

kaushiks

Prepone is perfect queens english...
Now. It was included in the oxford dictionary around 5 years ago. I think the 2000 edition.The purists didn't like it, just like allyuh, but hey, thats how languages mutate.

randomviolins

Er ... there's a difference between what gets published in the Oxford English Dictionary and what pedants would call 'perfect queens english' -- or even, to use Rob_the_Pom's term, 'standard English.'
Both "ain't" and "homey" are in the OED, but I can't imagine either of those words coming out of the queen's mouth.

Prepone hasn't quite made it across the pond yet, as far as I have been able to tell. This is the first I have heard of its use in English. It's certainly not in my 2003 Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.

But it seems a pretty useful word. And it's classical Latin origins are as just as solid as postpone's. Examples of the use of praeponere (to prepone) can be found in the writings of Julius Caesar and Cicero.

rangss

A good number of Indians still use On the Drawing Boards.

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mala

"Kal Ho Naa Ho...Parson tho ho gayi."

All credit to Sharukh!

rangss

This forum could be turned into a book/guide on Indian English.

Nick-H

Boards plural?

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SHIMLA

A friend told me of a certain professor in a college in Dhulia(Maharashtra), who used to say to the students, " If you want to entry then entry, otherwise dysentry " !!!!!!!

Meaning :"Enter the classroom if you wish, else stay out".

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Auntyji

Never heard that one before- that's hilarious. Just thought of one-a teacher who used to say "sit square" when she meant "sit up straight" (I think?).

Nick-H

Our free local paper has a classified section entitled RENTALS.

Yes, mostly it is about property, but the occasional matrimonial creaps in as well.

Last week I was delighted to see subheading Bridge Wanted
I wonder who the lucky bridgegroom is!

Today they have excelled themselves. Someone is seeking an alliance for Never married Tamil Bromine ... ... ...from rooms above 46 years
Probably a lovely lady, but perhaps not very exciting


Not to mention the property with Kitchen bulletins tastefully alone...

And (yes, this is all from one edition, and a total of only 14 small adds...
...with all amenities inside available near bus terminals at Paramour

Now I'm not a chennaite (yet...) but I think there is a suburb called Perambur.

Could these people be employing a non-tamil typesetter or sub-ed who can't seperate is matrimonials from his property ?

Or is the some cultural code-speak going on here that I'm totaly unaware of?

manojb

A common Indian misspelling: use of "loose" instead of "lose".

rangss

NaH! That was my cute little keyboard quirk

manojb

Noticed a signboard yesterday: "Punchers Repared". Not a coaching academy for boxers, but a bicycle tyre repair shop.

Hippie at Heart

Two more words that seem to have very Indian origin. 'In spite of heavy police bandobast, protesters became violent and were quelled with lathi-charge.'

ploink

Kaw... Lookit da cutesy-cutesy Indian English.
<tickles cutesy-cutesy Indian English under the chin>

Having studied linguistics years ago, I find this thread fascinating.
I've noticed my Indian colleagues often use the word "updation" instead of "update".

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Nick-H

Computer adds offer Upgradation. Horrible isn't it

But this sort of monstrosity is from the language of GW Bush, and American Management/Marketing types (Does an ordinary American on the street understand these people? Is that ordinary American, for example, concerned with leveredging his investment?

Oh, dear: I seam to be ranting. I'll just sit quietly with a cup of tea for a while...